Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is reportedly ready to take advantage of uncertainty over Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci’s future in Turin.
The 29-year-old had a bust-up with coach Massimiliano Allegri earlier this month, which in turn resulted in him being dropped for his side’s Champions League clash with Porto.
While the pair have since made up and Bonucci has returned to action, it remains unclear as to whether or not he will remain with the Serie A champions.
According to The Sun, Conte is ready to test the resolve of his former club by offering £42m to sign the experienced Italian international as he looks to add further star quality to his squad and solidify his defensive options ahead of next season.
Conte knows better than most just how valuable Bonucci is given that they’ve worked together at both Juve and with Italy, as the defensive ace has proven himself to be one of the best in Europe.
However, as he prepares to turn 30 in May, and with the Bianconeri having high hopes for Daniele Rugani as well as Mattia Caldara who’ll arrive in the summer from Atalanta as he spends the rest of this season on loan with La Dea, it appears as though Allegri is ready to freshen things up and go with his youthful pairing for the future.
That depends on Chelsea’s bid though too, as it’s claimed that Juve will sell for the right price and so if a £42m bid is made, it’s likely that Bonucci could be considering a move to Stamford Bridge this summer.
As the Premier League leaders continue to march on in their pursuit of the title this season, Conte will know that he must strengthen his squad where possible ahead of their return to European football next year.
While his current three-man defence has been exceptional and is key to their success, additional depth and quality will be needed and Bonucci certainly ticks those boxes as well as many others which will in turn make Chelsea a much more formidable side.